2000 Tax Ct. Memo LEXIS 187">*187 Decision will be entered under Rule 155.
MEMORANDUM FINDINGS OF FACT AND OPINION
PARR, JUDGE: Respondent determined deficiencies in and additions to petitioner's Federal income taxes as follows:
Additions to Tax
________________________________
Year Deficiency
____ __________ _______________ _________
1992 $ 14,966 $ 1,816.25 -0-
1993 17,412 2,399.75 $ 365.81
1994 17,336 2,569.75 492.70
1995 15,202 1,466.25 1 261.76
2000 Tax Ct. Memo LEXIS 187">*188 The issues for decision are: (1) Whether amounts paid as "family support" were alimony and, therefore, deductible by petitioner. We hold that certain of these amounts were deductible by petitioner in the amounts stated. (2) Whether petitioner may deduct various Schedule C, Profit or Loss From Business, expenses for the taxable years at issue. We hold he may not. (3) Whether petitioner is entitled to claim additional exemptions for his spouse and her two daughters for taxable years 1993 through 1995. 1 We hold he is not. (4) Whether petitioner is entitled to head-of-household filing status in 1993 and married filing joint return status in 1994 and 1995. We hold he is not. (5) Whether petitioner is liable for additions to tax under
2000 Tax Ct. Memo LEXIS 187">*189 FINDINGS OF FACT
Some of the facts have been stipulated and are so found. The stipulation of facts and the attached exhibits are incorporated herein by this reference. At the time the petition herein was filed, petitioner resided in Chuluota, Florida.
Petitioner did not file Federal income tax returns for the years in issue.
At various times during the years in issue, petitioner was employed full time as an engineer for the following companies: Linde Hydraulics Corp. (Linde), Hartmann Controls, Inc. (Hartmann), Motiontek, Inc. (Motiontek), and Worksmart, Inc. (Worksmart). Petitioner earned income from his full-time employment as follows:
Employer 1992 1993 1994 1995
________ ____ ____ ____ ____
Linde $ 57,840 $ 58,167 $ 60,585 --
Hartmann -- -- 4,469 $ 14,606
Motiontek -- -- -- 10,400
Worksmart -- -- -- 35,476
For taxable years 1992, 1993, 2000 Tax Ct. Memo LEXIS 187">*190 and 1994, Linde withheld Federal income taxes of $ 7,701, $ 7,813, and $ 5,925, respectively, from petitioner's wages. Additionally, for taxable year 1994, Hartmann withheld Federal income tax of $ 857, and for taxable year 1995, Hartmann, Motiontek, and Worksmart withheld Federal income tax of $ 2,845, $ 900, and $ 5,592, respectively.
In addition to his full-time employment, petitioner performed services as an engineering consultant. Petitioner's consulting business involved working principally for two companies: Tri-State Hydraulics, Inc. (Tri-State), and American Fluid Power, Inc. (American). To perform his business services, petitioner would travel by automobile from his home to approximately nine client sites in Wisconsin and Illinois. Petitioner earned nonemployee compensation from his consulting services as follows:
Employer 1992 1993 1994
________ ____ ____ ____
Tri-State $ 6,600 $ 12,626 $ 7,000
American 263 1,767 1,212
Petitioner operated his consulting2000 Tax Ct. Memo LEXIS 187">*191 business out of a garage attached to his residence. The garage contained a desk, a drafting table, two phones, and filing cabinets. The garage made up 15 percent of the total square footage of petitioner's rental house. During the years in issue petitioner's total annual housing costs were as follows:
Year Rent Gas Electricity
____ ____ ___ ___________
1992 $ 7,200 $ 1,440 $ 540
1993 7,200 1,500 600
1994 8,700 1,560 660
1995 (not in record)
For 1992 through 1994, petitioner calculated a home office deduction by multiplying the total costs of rent and utilities by 15 percent.
In addition to his employee and nonemployee compensation, petitioner received earned interest income from Security Bank, S.S.B., of $ 72 in 1992, $ 76 in 1993, $ 77 in 1994, and $ 83 in 1995. Petitioner also received $ 47 in interest income from Cornerstone Credit Union in 1995. Finally, petitioner received $ 6,9162000 Tax Ct. Memo LEXIS 187">*192 in unemployment compensation during 1995.
During the years in issue, petitioner made regular payments to two former wives. Petitioner was divorced from his first wife, Ms. Sandra Eads, in 1981. Pursuant to a valid, enforceable divorce judgment filed on May 15, 1981, petitioner is required to pay Ms. Eads $ 650 per month as "family support". The judgment provides in relevant part:
Sixth. The petitioner shall pay to the respondent as and for
family support the sum of Six Hundred Fifty Dollars ($ 650.00)
per month. Said sum shall be paid through the Clerk of the
Circuit Court of Milwaukee County on the 5th day of each month,
commencing May 5, 1981. Said payments, being for family support
shall be tax deductible to the petitioner, and taxable to the
respondent [Ms. Eads] on their respective federal and state
income tax returns. * * *
For the taxable years at issue, Ms. Eads included the following payment amounts as alimony on her Federal income tax returns: $ 7,250 in 1992, $ 7,250 in 1993, $ 7,200 in 1994, and $ 3,199 in 1995. Petitioner agrees that these are the amounts he actually paid.
Petitioner was divorced2000 Tax Ct. Memo LEXIS 187">*193 from his second wife, Ms. Susan Tang, in May 1989. He was required to pay $ 400 per month in "family support". Petitioner had an "agreement in principle" with Ms. Tang that she would include the payments to her as income on her Federal income tax return, and petitioner would claim a deduction for these payments on his Federal income tax return.
Petitioner was not married at the end of taxable years 1992 and 1993; however, petitioner was married at the end of taxable years 1994 and 1995. Petitioner's third wife has two daughters.
OPINION
Petitioner has the burden of proof with regard to all the issues raised in this case. See
ISSUE 1. WHETHER PETITIONER IS ENTITLED TO ALIMONY DEDUCTIONS DURING THE YEARS IN ISSUE
In this case, petitioner made "family support" payments to both Ms. Eads and Ms. Tang. Petitioner claims that the amounts he paid to Ms. Eads and Ms. Tang were deductible as alimony during the years in issue under
2000 Tax Ct. Memo LEXIS 187">*194
2000 Tax Ct. Memo LEXIS 187">*195 In
2000 Tax Ct. Memo LEXIS 187">*196 In this case, the divorce judgment related to petitioner's divorce from Ms. Eads provides for unallocated payments of "family support" from petitioner to Ms. Eads. In Wisconsin an award of "family support" includes both child support and maintenance (i.e., alimony). See
Petitioner was required to pay Ms. Tang $ 400 per month as "family support". Although we would ordinarily review the divorce instruments and other documents to determine whether the payments made by petitioner to Ms. Tang were alimony, petitioner did not provide us with divorce instruments or other documents, such as Ms. Tang's Federal income tax returns during the years in issue, to prove that Ms. Tang was required to include the "family support" payments as income pursuant to
ISSUE 2. WHETHER PETITIONER MAY DEDUCT VARIOUS SCHEDULE C EXPENSES
Petitioner claims the following expenses related to his consulting business as Schedule C, Profit and Loss From Business, deductions:
1992 1993 1994 1995
____ ____ ____ ____
Home office expense:
Rent $ 1,080 $ 1,080 $ 1,305 --
Utilities 297 315 333 --
Telephone -- -- 100 $ 720
Office supplies 200 400 1,120 100
Car and truck expense 3,500 4,002 2,850 2,108
Travel 120 180 -- --
Meals and entertainment 640 960 425 300
HOME OFFICE EXPENSES
2000 Tax Ct. Memo LEXIS 187">*200 We conclude that petitioner did not meet his burden of proof with respect to his home office deductions. Petitioner operated his consulting business out of a garage attached to his residence. Where a taxpayer's business is conducted in part in the taxpayer's residence and in part at another location, the following two primary factors are considered in determining whether the home office qualifies under
Whether the functions or activities performed at the home office are necessary to the business is relevant but not controlling, and the location at which goods and services are delivered to customers generally will be regarded as an important indicator of the principal place of a taxpayer's business, which must be given great weight and is a principal consideration in most cases. See
If the nature of the business requires that its services are
rendered or its goods are delivered at a facility with unique or
special characteristics, this is a further and weighty
consideration in finding that it is the delivery point or
facility, not the taxpayer's residence, where the most important
functions of the business are undertaken. [
In this case, petitioner provided no evidence as to how many hours he worked at home compared to hours he visited clients' business sites. Although he presumably kept records, made telephone calls, and perhaps did some drafting at his home office, this evidence is insufficient to allow us to determine whether petitioner performed most or the most important of his consulting services in his attached garage or at his clients' business sites. Accordingly, in the absence of proving that his residence was his "principal place of business", petitioner is not entitled to deductions for the home office expenses.
AUTOMOBILE EXPENSES
For each year in issue, petitioner claims2000 Tax Ct. Memo LEXIS 187">*202 expenses for mileage associated with driving his automobile from his residence to various client locations while pursuing his consulting business. Respondent disallowed all of petitioner's claimed expenses.
It is well settled that, as a general rule, the expenses of traveling between one's home and his place of business or employment constitute commuting expenses which are nondeductible, personal expenses. See
This Court has previously held that a taxpayer's cost of transportation between his residence and local job sites may be deductible if his residence serves as his "principal place of business" and the travel is in the nature of normal and deductible business travel. See
In
the conclusion in Walker was based on a concession of the issue
by the Commissioner based on
Accordingly, to be entitled to deduct automobile expenses, petitioner must prove that his residence was used as his "principal place of business". Since petitioner was unable to do so, it follows that the mileage expenses for each year are nondeductible commuting expenses.
TRAVEL, MEALS, AND ENTERTAINMENT
For 1992 and 1993, petitioner claims $ 120 and $ 180, respectively, for travel expenses, and $ 640 and $ 960, respectively, for meals and entertainment2000 Tax Ct. Memo LEXIS 187">*204 expenses. For 1994 and 1995, petitioner claims $ 425 and $ 300, respectively, for meals and entertainment expenses. Respondent disallowed all of petitioner's claimed expenses.
A taxpayer is required under
Other than his oral testimony, petitioner did not provide substantiation of his expenses for travel, meals, and entertainment. Accordingly, petitioner has failed to meet the requirements of
ISSUE 3. WHETHER PETITIONER IS ENTITLED TO CLAIM ADDITIONAL EXEMPTIONS FOR HIS SPOUSE AND HER TWO DAUGHTERS FOR TAXABLE YEARS 1993 THROUGH 1995
1993
In 1993, petitioner was engaged to be married to the woman who would become his wife in May 1994. Because of the support he purportedly provided to his fiancee and her two daughters, petitioner claims that he is entitled to additional dependency exemptions in 1993. Respondent did not allow additional dependency exemptions for petitioner's fiancee and her daughters.
In 1993, petitioner was not related to his fiancee or her two daughters by blood or marriage, nor was he their adoptive or foster father. Accordingly, to claim his fiancee and her daughters2000 Tax Ct. Memo LEXIS 187">*206 as dependents in 1993, petitioner must establish, inter alia, that these individuals were members of petitioner's household within the meaning of
1994 AND 1995
Petitioner married his fiancee in May 1994 and was married to her at the end of taxable years 1994 and 1995. For 1994 and 1995, petitioner claims an exemption for his spouse, as well as additional exemptions for both of his stepdaughters. Respondent denied the exemptions.
To claim additional exemptions for his stepdaughters, petitioner must prove that he provided more than one-half of their total support in 1994 and 1995. See
Petitioner presented no evidence that he provided more than one-half of the support for his stepdaughters during taxable years 1994 and 1995. Accordingly, petitioner's claim to additional dependency exemptions for his stepdaughters for taxable years 1994 and 1995 is denied.
ISSUE 4. WHETHER PETITIONER IS ENTITLED TO HEAD OF HOUSEHOLD FILING STATUS IN 1993 AND MARRIED FILING JOINT RETURN FILING STATUS IN 1994 AND 1995
1993
Petitioner claimed at trial that he was entitled to head- of-household filing status in 1993. Respondent contends that petitioner's filing status in 1993 was "single".
In order to qualify for head-of-household filing status, petitioner must satisfy the requirements of
Since petitioner is not entitled to dependency exemptions for his fiancee and her two daughters during 1993, he does not qualify as a head of household. Even if petitioner were entitled to the dependency exemptions under
1994 AND 1995
For taxable years 1994 and 1995, petitioner claims that he is entitled to2000 Tax Ct. Memo LEXIS 187">*210 married filing joint return status. In the notice of deficiency, respondent determined that petitioner's filing status was "married filing separately".
ISSUE 5. FAILURE TO TIMELY FILE TAX RETURN
Petitioner admits he did not file tax returns for any of the years in issue and that he has income tax liability.
Respondent's computation of the addition to tax in the notice of deficiency does take into consideration petitioner's withholding tax credits, as is required by
ISSUE 6. FAILURE TO2000 Tax Ct. Memo LEXIS 187">*212 PAY ESTIMATED INCOME TAX
Respondent determined that petitioner was liable for the addition to tax under
Decision will be entered under Rule 155.
1. The deficiency amounts listed above do not reflect Federal
income tax withheld from petitioner's wages. See, e.g., sec.
301.6215-1, Proced. & Admin. Regs., which provides that "the entire
amount redetermined as the deficiency by the decision of the Tax
Court which has become final shall be assessed," while only "the
unpaid portion of the amount so assessed shall be paid by the
taxpayer upon notice and demand therefor." (Emphasis added.)↩
1. The parties stipulated that petitioner was unmarried during taxable years 1992 and 1993. For taxable year 1992, the proper filing status of petitioner is "single". For taxable year 1993, the proper filing status of petitioner is still at issue.↩
2. Unless otherwise indicated, all section references are to the Internal Revenue Code in effect for the years at issue, and all Rule references are to the Tax Court Rules of Practice and Procedure.↩
3.
4.
5.
(a) General Rule. --
(1) Decree of Divorce or Separate Maintenance. -- If a wife
is divorced or legally separated from her husband under a decree
of divorce or of separate maintenance, the wife's gross income
includes periodic payments (whether or not made at regular
intervals) received after such decree in discharge of (or
attributable to property transferred, in trust or otherwise, in
discharge of) a legal obligation which, because of the marital
or family relationship, is imposed on or incurred by the husband
under the decree or under a written instrument incident to such
divorce or separation.↩
6.
(b) Payments to Support Minor Children. -- Subsection (a)
shall not apply to that part of any payment which the terms of
the decree, instrument, or agreement fix, in terms of an amount
of money or a part of the payment, as a sum which is payable for
the support of minor children of the husband. For purposes of
the preceding sentence, if any payment is less than the amount
specified in the decree, instrument, or agreement, then so much
of such payment as does not exceed the sum payable for support
shall be considered a payment for such support.↩
7. For divorce or separation agreements executed after Dec. 31, 1984, Congress overruled
8. Since petitioner and Ms. Tang divorced in May 1989, we must apply
9. For home office expenses incurred in taxable years after Dec. 31, 1998, Congress overruled